Ventilator for fire-doors, &amp;c.



A. H. LOWRY.

VBNTILATOB FOB FIRE DOORS, 6m.

APPLICATION FILED 0O'I'.8, 190T.

Patented Oct. 6, 1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

A. H. LOWRY. VENTILATOB. FOR FIRE DOORS, 6w.

APPLIUA'HON FILED 001?. a, 1907 900,402, Patented Oct. 6, 1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 enema ALBERT H. LOWRY, OF SHERIDANVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

VENTILATOR FOR FIRE-DOORS, &c.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application flIedQOctober 8, 1907. Serial No. 396,422.

Patented Oct. 6, 1908.

To all whom "it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT H. LOWRY, a c1ti zen of the United States,residing at Sheridanville, Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Ventilators for Fire-Doors, &c.,of which the following is a specification, reference being bad thereinto the accompanymg drawings.

This invention relates to ventilators for the doors of furnaces, fireboxes and combustion chambers.

The invention has for its primary object to admit a sufficient quantityof air above the fire of a fire box, for a short period of time, tocause a combustion of the gases arising from fresh coal placed in thefire box,. whereby the closing of the fire door and the admitting of allair through the grate area will effect the combustion of the carbonproperties.

Another object of the Invention is to provide an automatic ventilatorfor a door, which will prevent a reverse draft in the fire box and willprevent a fireman from crowding the fire by too ra idly applying fuel tothe same. To this on I provide the fire box door with a gravity shutter,said shutter being automatically opened as the fire box door is closed,and its closing by gravity retarded by virtue of a dash-pot used inconnection with the shutter operatmgr mechamsm.

he ventilator has been particularly designed for the fire box doors oflocomotives, and as such, will be described in detail hereinafter.

Referrin now to the drawings: Figure 1 is a front e evation of a firedoor ventilator constructed in accordance with my invention, Fig. 2 is aside elevation of the same, Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a portion ofthe shutter actuating mechanism and the fire door latch, Fig. 4 is aside elevation of the fire door partially open, Fi 5 is a similar viewillustrating the fire oor completely open, Fig. 6 is a side elevation ofa fire door, as partially closed, illustrating the ventilator shutter aspartially open, Fig. 7 is a similar view illustratin the fire door asclosed and the shutter in tl i horizontal sectional-view of the fire oorand its mechanism, said section being taken on the line wm of Fig. 7,and'Fig. 9 is a detail sectional View of the dashot.

In the accompanying nawings, I have e act of closing, Fi 8 is aillustrated a door frame 1 as ordinarily used upon furnaces, fire boxesand combustion chambers, said door frame carrying two projecting lugs 2at one side to permit' of a door 3 having hinge members 4 beingconnected to said lugs by a pintle 5. The door 3 is maintained in aclosed position by a latch 6 pivotally connected to said door as at 7The rear end of the latch 6 is bent handle bar 9 having a link or handgrip'I'OL This handle bar is adapted, when the door 3 is closed, toengage in a notch 11 formed in a latch-keeper 12, extending forwardlyfrom the side of the door frame 1, op osite the hinged side of saiddoor. The atchkeeper 12 is in the form of a forwardly-projecting arm,and has a beveled upper edge 14, and near its outer end is provided witha notch 15, said notch accommodating the handle bar 9 of the latch, whenit is desired to retain the door 3 artially open.

Pivotally connected to the outer side of the latch-kee er 12 is. a link16, said link being connecte to a slide bar 17 movably mounted in akeeper 18 carried by the latch-keeper 12, near the outer end thereof.The link 16 is normally maintained in a vertical position by a coilspring 19 interposed between the link 16 and keeper 18, said s ringbeing placed under tension, when the link 16 and the slide bar 17 arelowered, as will be presently described. A pin 20 carried by thelatch-keeper 12 limits the downward move ment of the link 16 and theslide bar 17, and a pin 20 carried by said latch-keeper and adapted tobe impinged by the lower end of the link 16, limits the movement of saidlink towards the door frame 1.

Connected to the door 3 is a keeper or strap 21, said keeper or strapserving two functions, namely, to support the handle bar end of thelatch 6, when the door 3 is open, and also support a-dash-pot 22 byvirtue of lugs 23 carried by said dash-pot. This'dash-pot is of aconventional form comprising a piston head 22", a piston rod 24 and acheck valve 25, said check valve controlling the admission of air to thedashmounted u pot. The bottom of the dash ppt is provided with a rt andrevolu 1y mounted upon the ottom of said dash-pot is a ca 25 havin aport 25 formed therein a aspted to register with the port 25' of the dt. The ports 25 and 25 are empllgye for controlling the exhaust of air mthe dash-pot, consequently the descent of the piston head 22.

The door 3 is Hrovided with a circular opening 26 norma y closed by ashutter 27 n a rock shaft 28, journaled in bearings 2 carried by thedoor 3. By reference to Fig. 1, it Wlll be observed that the shutter 27is journaled ofl center, whereby said shutter will close by ravity, whenreleased. The shutter is provided wlth openings 30 to permitof lightpassing through said shutter and illuminating the tender of thelocomotive and permitting of a fireman properly performing his duties,when otherwise surrounded by darkness. The one end of the rock shaft 28is provided with a crank arm pot 22 rom the intense 31, which isconnected as at 32 to the bifurcated end of the piston rod 24. The crankarm 31 carries a pivoted stirrup 33 having a depending pin 34, said pincarrying a circular head 35 adjacent to the stirrup'33. The pin 34passes throu h a lug 36, carried by the hand e bar end 0 thelatch 6.

Upon the door 3 is mounted a bracket 37 carryin a shield 38 forprotecting the dasheat of the fire box, which asses through the circularopening 26 whi e the shutter 27 is open. To the bracket 37 is alsosecured one of the lugs 23 em loyed for supporting the dash-pot 22.

peration: When the latch 6 1S raised from the notch 11 of thelatch-keeper 12, the handle bar end of the latch is adapted to strikethe link 16 and lower said link and slide bar 17 to the position shownin Fig. 4 of the drawings. The springlQ then returns the link 16 and theslide bar 17 to their normal positions, while the door 3 is in an openposition as illustrated in Fig. 5 of the drawings. Sufficient spaceexists between the circular head 35 and the lug 36 to permit of thelatch bein raised, without actuating the shutter mec anism. Asa firemancloses the door 3, the handle bar end 9 of the latch 6 rides u wardlyupon the slide bar 17, causing the ug 36 to engage the circular head 35of the pin 34 and through the medium of the stirru 83 raise the crankarm 31 of the rock s aft 28. This movement of the crank arm 31 rotatesthe rock shaft 28 a sufficient distance to open the shutter 27, besideselevating the piston rod 24 of the dash-pot 22. Immediately u n thehandle bar end of the latch 6 rece ing into the notch 11 of thelatch-keeper 12, the shutter 27 commences to close by gravity, itsclosing movement bein radual, due to its being retarded by the(Elsi-130i; 22. The period of time which said shutter is open is related through the medium of the revolu le' cap 25 carried by saiddash-pot, and by this ca the shutter can. be made to close very slow yor to close with considerable rapidity by its own weight and the weightof the mechanism attached thereto.

It is apparent from m invention that I have devised a novel venti atorfor fire doors, together with novel means for causing a retardation inthe closing movement of the ventilator, thus allowing sufficient timefor the admission of a quantity of air, and in-' sure a perfectcombustion within the fire box. It is a well known fact that in order tomaintain a perfect combustion and obtain the highest number of heatunits, that a sufficient uantity of air must be admitted to the fire ox.As air contains a large percentage of oxygen, and as hydro en gas isfirst emitted by the ignited fuel, t ese ases co-Inin lo and producecarbon dioxid, w ich is the esired highest and richest element formaintaining a high heat unit producing com bastion.

My ventilator prevents firemen from crowding or choking a fire,"principally by continuously placing fresh fuel 11 on the fire andpreventing a proper com ustion within a fire box.

Having now described my invention what I claim as new, is

1. In a ventilator for fire doors, the combination with a door frame,and a door hinged thereto and having an opening formed therein, of alatch pivotall connected to said door, a latch keeper carried by saiddoor frame, a spring pressed slide bar carried by said latch-keeper, forgradually raising said latch, a keeper carried by said door forsupporting said latch when said door is open, a dash-pot supported bysaid keeper, a shutter movably mounted in the openin of said door, acrank arm for moving sai shutter, said crank arm connecting with thepiston of said dash-pot, a depending pin carried by said crank arm, ahead carried by said p111, a lug carried by said latch for engaging Vsaid head and raising said crank arm, an means for regulating saiddash-pot to retard the closing movement of said shutter.

2. In a ventilator for doors, the combination with a door frame, and adoor hinged thereto and having an opening formed therein, of a latchpivotally connected to said door, a latch keeper carried by said frame,a kce or carried by the door for supporting sai latch when said door isopen, a dasht supported from said keeper, a gravity 0 0sing shuttermovably mounted m the openin of said door, a crank arm for moving saidshutter and connecting with the piston rod of said dashot, a dependingpin carried by said cranli arm, a head carried by said pm, a lug carriedby said latch for engaging said head and elevating said crank arm, meansfor regulating said dashpot for retarding the closin movement of saidshutter, and means carried by said latch keeper for elevating saidlatch, and actuating said crank arm.

3 In a ventilator for doors, the combination with a door frame, of adoor lunged thereto and having an opening formed therein, a latch pivotaly connected to said door, a latch keeper carried by said frame, agravity closing shutter movably mounted in the opening of said door. acrank arm for opening said shutter, a dash-pot carried by said door forretarding the closing movementof said shutter, a head suspended heneathsaid crank arm, :1 lug carried by said latch for engaging said head andelevating said crank arm, means for re ulating the o eration of saiddash-pot, an means carried by said latch keeper for elevating said latchand actuating said crank arm.

4. In a ventilator for doors, the combination with a door frame. a doorhinged thereto and havin an opening formed therein, a latch ivotal ycarried by said door, and a latch 'eeper carried by said frame forbolding said latch in a closed sition, of a gravity closing shutterniorab y mounted in the opening of said door. a crank arm for openingsaid shutter, a dash-pot carried br said door and ope-ratio with saidcran arm for controlling the c osin movement of said shutter, meanscarried by said crank arm and impinged by said latch for raising saidcrank arm and opening said shutter, and means carried by said latch keer for raising said latch and actuating sai crank arm.

5. In combination with a door-frame, a door hinged thereto and rovidedwith an o ening. a rock-shaft carried by the door. a s utter carried bvsaid rock-shaft for closing the opening in t e door, a latch-keepercarried by the door-frame. a latch carried by the door, means carried bysaid latch-keeper to be engaged by said latch during closin movement ofsaid door to efiect operation 0 said rock-shaft and open said shutter, adash pot supported from said latch-keeper, and connections between saiddash pot and said rock-shaft for effecting a gradual closing of theshutter after the door is closed.

6. In combination with u door-frame, a door hinged thereto and irovidedwith an oiening. a rock-shaft carried by the door, a sl iuttcr carriedby said rock-shaft for closing the o )cning in the door, a latch-keepercarried by the door-frame, a latch carried by the door, means carried bysaid latch-keeper to be engaged by said latch during closing movement ofsaid door-to eflect operation of said rock-shaft to open said shutter. asuitably-sinppoi'ted dash pot. and (Olltltt'tinlls between said dash potand said rocloshaft for effecting a gradual closing of the shutter afterthe door is closed.

T. In combination with a door-frame. a door hinged thereto and providedwith an opening, a rock-shaft carried by the door, a shutter carried bysaid rock-shaft for closing the opening in the door. a latch-keepercarried by the door-frame. a hitch carried by the door. means carried bysaid latch-keeper to he engaged by said latch during closing movement ofsaid door to eti'ect operation of said rock-shaft to open said shutter,a suitably-sup iorted dash pot. connections between said vash pot andsaid rock-shaft for e-fl'ecting a gradual closing of the shutter afterthe door is closed, and a shield carried by the door for protecting saiddash pot.

8. In tire doors. the combination with a door-trams. and a latclrkeepercarried by the door-fran'ie of a door hinged to the doorframe andprovided with an opening. a pivoted latch carried by said door to engagesaid latch-keeper, a rockshaft carried by the door, a shutter carried bysaid rock-shaft for closing saido ening. means carried by thelatchkeeper to e engaged by -said latch during the closin movement ofthe door to eiiect actua' tion 0 said rock-shaft to open said shutter,and means to efl'ect a gradual closin of the shutter after the door hasbeen closet.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

ALBERT H. LOVRY.

Witnesses:

MAX H. SnoLovrrz, A. J. TRIGG.

